GUNMAN: PAY OR I'LL KILL AGAIN

New York Post ^ | 10/22/02 | NILES LATHEM, DAN MANGAN, and MARSHA KRANES

[kattracks]

The Psycho Sniper says he wants blood money to end his terrifying murder spree - and he's opened a dialogue with cops to negotiate the payout.

The Beltway sharpshooter made his demand in a three-page note found after his latest attack, on Saturday night, federal law-enforcement sources told The Post.

[M. Peach]

I'm wondering why the sniper isn't communicating with a newspaper or TV station instead of the police. Maybe he has, and the media has been asked not to broadcast it?

[Carolinamom]

Highly possible, I suppose. I just don't know anything ..except that good people are dead, wounded, and terrorized. Evil stalks the land, I pray that it is overcome...and soon.

[rudypoot]

"Bush, Cheney, NRA, and Marine Corps bumper stickers"

It's to get back at that report that the terrorists arrested recently were all REGISTERED DEMOCRATS. heh

[Redbob]

" Has Israel ever seen a money ransom demand from a Pallie?",\

Land, not money, but it was just as much a diversion.

[Poohbah]

When one starts paying Danegeld, one never gets rid of the Dane.

[sheik yerbouty]

I think you're right. It's a ploy.

[poppyseed]

A lady I work with said her sister called her last night after having spoken to a Fairfax County policewoman. The policewoman told the sister that the message was found in a trick-or-treat bag, and that as well as the numerous demands (which weren't specified), there were specific threats saying that children will be the next targets. The media is aware of the contents of this letter but have been instructed not to say anything; police are afraid that a media report of the contents of the letter will spur the sniper on and make him act on his threats, but are hoping that informal word can be gotten out.

I cannot verify any of this. My coworker said she asked her sister if this was some urband legend, and the sister said she had spoken directly to a police officer who gave her this information. Take it for what it's worth.

[Eva]

How 'bout the reason that they are asking for ransom is because we are cutting off their other sources of funding?

[LisaFab]

Good work. It is well known that the Abu Sayyaf collects ransoms in the Philippines and has created a cottage industry in that respect.

However, I agree with Lion's Cub and others who think this ransom business is a red herring and that this is definitely the work of AQ and/or their collaborators. And if there is indeed negotiation in progress, it has to do with the release of Islamist prisoners in Gitmo or elsewhere.

[jpl]

The policewoman told the sister that the message was found in a trick-or-treat bag, and that as well as the numerous demands (which weren't specified)

Hmmm, interesting. I wonder what some of these "numerous demands" are that they're not telling us about...

[demlosers]

My best guess is that we have begun to meet the cell's demands by releasing a few prisoners at Gitmo, and that the ultimate aim of the cell's demand is the release of Rahman's son. The government and the terrorists are still negotiating--with the government beginning to meet the demands in small steps in hopes of buying time to track these guys down.

Interesting theory

[dalebert]

"DNC.COM operation" for sure.

[dalebert]

These were the bumper stickers on the van belonging to the illegals that have been proclaimed "not involved" with sniper attacks. If the illegals bought the van used the stickers could have already been on it. Of course the Dems could have set up. I think the Dems might be involved in the missing little girl case in Florida that O'Reilly keeps pounding Jeb Bush with. Just a thought: Wasn't the press all geared up on the Condit case when 9/11 happened? That could be happening now. Another thought is that if this is not resolved it is a good way to keep people from going to the polls to vote in that area.Dems love to scare people.

[tracer]

On the sage advice of the FBI, Chief Moose has written a check and will stop payment on it within the hour....

[philetus]

Israel won't pay ransoms.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

how about to make the threat of continued shootings more believable?

A possibility to be sure...but this guy has given no indication that he has any intention of stopping...and has given LE no reason to doubt that he'll continue.

[tracer]

It seems more likely that it was the caller who couldn't understand the garbled message of Chief Moose....

[SarahW]

Any pics of the French deserter? A name, perhaps?

[SarahW]

Second that...

[justlurking]

The bumper stickers are irrelevant on a recently purchased used vehicle.

It doesn't matter. If the bumper stickers had been "Gore-Lieberman", "Visualize World Peace", and the like, they wouldn't have even mentioned it.